There’s lesson on every trip I take. This one teaches me to leave trails as LESS as possible, why? Because I swimming with plastic bottles and food Styrofoam is sucks, and I love Indonesia very much, just simple as that!!

On Saturday morning I woke up much earlier than I used to. Its weekend! But I had a pretty much great agenda: GOING TO PARI ISLAND.

One Thousand Island

Pari Island is one of island among 110 of tiny islands (despite of the name) in One Thousand Island region and still part of Jakarta. There were lots of spots for snorkels—hidden white sandy/stranded beaches among this islands. Some islands in here belong to private/read—rich Indonesian. Some open for public and become favorite escape from Jakarta citizen. Its good for day trip or for weekend trip, for family, couples retreat, or just to hang out with friends. The whole trip depends on how much you want to spent and whats your comfortable limit is.

Most of beautiful island (read CLEAN and PURE) is conservation area either for animals like turtles or the famous Bondol eagles (Jakarta mascot) or for the mangrove. These islands had no accommodations. If you’re good enough, you could find some contact that will provide chance to do camping on beach for this islands. Just have to remember TO LEAVE TRACE AS LESS AS POSSIBLE, leave the island as when you first landed, do not trash or litter!! Some private islands even offer homestay for public, but as I said---if you know the right person….

According to Detik travel, some of the most beautiful island in one thousand islands is:

Semak Daun Island. Expat often call it with pulau “smack down”. Just for campsite (tips for the island guard around Rp 50,000,-), no accommodation or facilities. Its one of conservation Island for penyu sisik (Eretmochelys imbricata) and penyu hijau (green turtle/Chelonia mydas). You could use the local fisherman boats to get to this island from Pramuka island

Sepa Island. Paradise for divers, place for those who had the PADI open water certificate practice their new skills. It’s under PT Sepa Paradise management. Also Conservation Island for penyu sisik (Eretmochelys imbricata) and penyu hijau (green turtle/Chelonia mydas) also not much facilities in here, the water in the toilets using the brackish water (air payau)

Air Island In english it means water island. It’s a private island, beautiful with beautiful corals, white sandy beach and crystal clear water. The island actually one land but the owner then dig the island and it’s divided by water. One part stay private the other part could be visited by public (resort). It had the best facility compare to other island (read more expensive). You could reach it from pulau Pramuka or pulau Tidung.

Kotok Island Took 90 minutes boat from Marina Ancol. Also home conservation for Bondol Eagles. Unique thing about this island?? The tree house!! You could rent the tree house as well.

The exact location for Pari Island is in coordinate: 6°0′14″LU106°46′44″BT. The island name “Pari” is from “stingray” because the
island looks like stingray fish.

Why Pari?

I did once tell people that I prefer
to Pari because there’s so many people goes to Pramuka or Tidung. I would
choose Sepa island or second choice Pari island. I don’t need to see
crowded island, just nice and relaxing island. I know there are things that I
would sacrifice for this. Well developed island like Pramuka (as the center of
one thousand islands government) had more choice of accommodations and
activities. The facilities are much better compare to Pari. CLEAN white sandy
beach… and it’s not so crowded—that’s all I ask-so Pari it is.

Sepa had further distance from
Jakarta while Pari is much closer. Both had their good and bad(s). Both had the
same white sandy beach and crystal clear sea. The islands near these islands
also worth to explore too. But for the time being I shall enjoy Pari first.

There are 3 different places where
you could find boat to Pari Island from Jakarta. First from the old, smelly Muara Angke harbor, from Kali Adem harbor (newest harbor) and
you could go from Marina Ancol pier 6
harbors for more “stylish” comfortable (and yet most pricey way).

Overall boat route map from 3 different harbor

Muara
Angkeis the most “famous” around people who used to go to one
thousand islands. It’s where most of fisherman boats from and to the one
thousand islands comes and goes. The main destinations from majority boats in
here are Untung Jawa island, Kelapa Island, Harapan Island, Tidung Island,
Panggang Island and Pari Island. The ticket from here would be the cheapest, as
its just traditional wooden boat (and took much longer trip from here) it’s
around Rp 30,000,-/person per single trip. You had to wake up very early and the
boat will LEAVE at 7am.

traditional wooden boat at Muara Angke Harbor

Mostly people already queue at the
ticketing at 6am. There are hundreds of people there in early morning. One boat
will be flocked with over 100 people as well. It’s not that very comfortable
and also it took around 2-3 hours to the most favorite island destinations. Also because i never use this boat i am not so sure if they had life vest for the passenger (doubt it) since they don't even have passenger manifest etc for safety reason (ugghhh!!!)

When you got here make sure you ask
MANY TIMES before you get to the boat about the boat destination. It’s a hectic
busy harbor with lines of boats. Usually the best way is to take the boats at
the end of the row so you could find a best spot to sit down inside the boat,
and its better near window (some people does have baaddd sea sick!!) and you
will be gather with almost 100 people in one boat. At least you will have fresh
air near the window and the view (quite boring for 2-3 hours boat ride).

not for one with long legs and big butts??(picture taken from blog Irwanah)

Asking part is important, once again.
Would be a little bit funny when you’re planning to go to Pramuka Island but
end up in Sepa Island!! Waste of time
and waste of money— and it’s a holiday mood killer! So asks anyway—won’t hurt
that much!

Kali
Adem operated since early December 2011 after 8 years on and off
project. It’s not reall far from Muara Angke. This harbor now becomes favorite
options for those who bring vehicles because it had secure parking space. There’s
only two motor boats depart from this harbor; first one is KM Lumba-lumba depart at 7am. And another boat is KM Krapu depart twice at 7 am and 1pm.

Both boat had fare range depended on
the destination from Rp 40.000 until 50.000 excluded Rp 2000 for insurance. Its
more pricey than the wooden boat from Muara Angke, but at least the boats from
here more comfortable and slightly more faster than one from Muara Angke
(beside the better parking options of course).

Kali Adem Pier with faster boat

KM Lumba-lumba destination from;

·Lintasan 1 is: KaliAdem – P.Untung Jawa
– P.Pramuka – P. Tidung (PP)

·Lintasan 2: Kali Adem – P.Untung Jawa –
P. Tidung (PP)

Faster boat, still no AC but at least you could have a seat!(Taken from tidungholiday blog)

Marina Ancol Harboris inside the theme park in Ancol in
Jakarta bay area. This is where Jakarta rich and famous “parks” their personal
boats. There’s also several boats belong to Police dept, and I saw one with
Metrotv (local tv station) logos on it.

Type of boat depart from Marina Ancol--hmmm

Seating inside the boat

You could access the harbor from
3 different access:

Main
Ancol Theme Park Gate. You could access this from Gunung Sahari street, outer
ring road toll, stop at Ancol. From Dufan-turn left and drive along with the
canal until you see pier #6. This gate open 24hours.

Ancol
East Gate; good if you’re from Kemayoran direction—this gate open 24hours

Ancol
west gate/pluit. This gate only open after 07.30am. This gate located next to
marina.

The pier or “dermaga” used for
pulau seribu/one thousand island is on pier
#6. You could buy your ticket for the boat on this pier. There’s
regular ticket and also you could rent the boat with ranging from 1.2 to 7 million per boat (even more) depends on the size and the facility of the boat also the
destinations per trip. The harbor on weekend full of people who want to spent their weekend on one thousand island.

The details about Marina Harbour:

Dermaga Marina Ancol Pier No 05 : This pier used for boats to Alam Kotok Island. The boat leave at
8am

Dermaga Marina Ancol Pier No 06 : This pier used for boats that goes to one thousand islands
islands, the private/resort or the non resort island. The boats here leave
based on the passenger bookings. Boat leave at 7.30am—therefore you had to
be there before 7am (boarding time)

Dermaga Marina Ancol Pier No. 09 : This pier used for boats goes to Putri Island Resort. The boats
leave also at 8am

Dermaga Marina Ancol Pier No. 16 This pier used for the boats that leave to Ayer island
resort. The boats leave at 9am

Dermaga Marina Ancol Pier No. 17 this pier used for boats that goes to Bidadari Island Resort. The
boat leaves at 11am (but still you need to be there 30 minutes before for
boarding)

It’s the most comfortable harbor compare to other harbor. But it’s still
bit crazy as well. You could buy your own ticket directly there with
cheaper/normal price or you could contact a bookie to buy it for you so you
don’t need to stand up on queue in early morning (which is I did last time).
The ticket won’t be that much different and you could showed up a bit
later---just remember the boarding time is 30 minutes before the boat scheduled
to leave!!...to be continue....